River Log Drive

River drives were a standard way of moving large amounts of cut timber to sawmills during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, prior to the expansion and adoption of railroads and trucks for log transport. This clip is an excerpt from "Timber on the Move: A History of Log Moving Technology," a documentary film from the Forest History Society:
http://www.foresthistory.org/Publications/films.html

Category:

Education

Tags:

• loggers
• log drives
• river

[Mrberlinnh]

This is Berlin, N.H. the photo at the end proves it.

[Mrberlinnh]

This must have been the Brown Company of Berlin, N.H. because in the link it says New Hampshire.

[seatmech2000]

logging has been in my blood for over a hundred years, heritage is something that I take great pride in. For those that have a heritage of being butt-fucks, keep on truckin and keep following.

[Creighster]

its amazing how fast these forests bounced back though. I learned in school that the northeast has about 3 times more forested areas then it did 200 years ago. so we have made some progress.

[s46d45m17]

Yes I have a car a computer but if I had my way I would live like a full fledged 100% self sustained mountain man this is my dream.

[dalsbury1979]

@s46d45m17 I assume you have a car and a computer, or at least you are using a computer that is probably powered by the very thing you condemn. We should be good stewards of our environment, I agree, but give me a break. The hypocrisy is so frustrating.

[s46d45m17]

Just like now where the enviroment or workers do not matter as long as the wealthy get a huge profit, the mega wealthy these days are the same, this deep gas well drilling is not good for the water or enviroment but there is a profit to be made so this will take place but I do believe we will pay for it later but it won't be as easy to clean up as these logs in streams.

[3Mudbone1]

@edjohnston1969 It kept them from having to build massive logging roads and use thousands of trucks though. It may have not hurt the salmon much.

[punkmaggie]

good bye the trout an salmon!!

[edjohnston1969]

Sweet - They weren't all that smart. These sorts of log drives were horrible for the environment and wreaked havoc on the salmon and steelhead populations in the rivers. Keep in mind that i am not some enviro-hippy, but an avid hunter and fisherman. The long term effects of these sorts of things are still being felt decades later.

that said, yes. it is a truly awesome sight.